
/ əˈrɔr ə, əˈroʊr ə /

noun, plural au·ro·ras, au·ro·rae [uh-rawr-ee, uh-rohr-ee] /əˈrɔr i, əˈroʊr i/ for defs 2, 3.

the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn.Compare Eos.
(lowercase) dawn.
a city in central Colorado, near Denver.
a city in NE Illinois.
a female given name.



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Origin of Aurora

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin aurōra dawn, dawn goddess, east Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for aurora

British Dictionary definitions for aurora (1 of 3)

/ (ɔːˈrɔːrə) /

noun plural -ras or -rae (-riː)

poetic the dawn

Derived forms of aurora

auroral, adjectiveaurorally, adverb

Word Origin for aurora

C14: from Latin: dawn; see east

British Dictionary definitions for aurora (2 of 3)

/ (ɔːˈrɔːrə) /


the Roman goddess of the dawnGreek counterpart: Eos
the dawn or rise of something

British Dictionary definitions for aurora (3 of 3)

/ (ɔːˈrɔːrə) /


another name for Maewo

Scientific definitions for aurora

[ ə-rôrə ]

Plural auroras aurorae (ə-rôrē)

A brilliant display of bands or folds of variously colored light in the sky at night, especially in polar regions. Charged particles from the solar wind are channeled through the Earth's magnetic field into the polar regions. There the particles collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, ionizing them and making them glow. Auroras are of greatest intensity and extent during periods of increased sunspot activity, when they often interfere with telecommunications on Earth.♦ An aurora that occurs in southern latitudes is called an aurora australis (ô-strālĭs) or southern lights. When it occurs in northern latitudes it is called an aurora borealis (bôr′ē-ălĭs) or northern lights. See also magnetic storm.